The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) said the blast happened around 8:20 p.m. in Bluemont, a suburban area located across the Potomac River from Washington.

Officers had been on scene responding since about 4:45 p.m. to reports of shots fired. It was later determined that the suspect discharged a flare gun from a residence, which escalated into a series of alarming events.

Arlington County police spokesperson Ashley Savage said that officers investigated while they obtained a search warrant for the home, which was a duplex, as are many in the Bluemont area.

“As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home,” ACPD stated on X, formerly Twitter. “Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence, and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.”

It’s not clear if the rounds were fired from a flare gun or a different firearm, according to Ms. Savage, who also said that police don’t have evidence that others were in the residence. However, she noted that the investigation is in its early stages.

The initial report from ACPD urged residents to steer clear of the area due to ongoing police activity stemming from the discharge of the flare gun.

Alex Wilson, a witness who recorded video footage of the chaotic scene from the rooftop of his nearby home, told Fox 5 that he began to film because “things seemed like they were definitely escalating.”

“The guy inside wasn’t responding [to the officers], and they drove a SWAT truck through the front door,” Mr. Wilson added. “And then shots were being fired after that.”

The standoff between the suspect and the police had been ongoing for hours, but now, he could tell that “something’s actually going to happen.”

“It was just a happenstance,” he added. “They pulled [the SWAT truck] back after breaking through the front door, trying to get him to come out; he wasn’t coming out.

Mr. Wilson said that police appeared to be reversing and repositioning the SWAT truck “to be able to go through the front window” when suddenly “the place just erupted.”

Following the explosion at the residence, Arlington Fire and Emergency Services reported that the fire was under control.

“Crews continue to battle small spot fires,” Arlington Fire and EMS stated. “Units remaining on scene for an undetermined amount of time.”

In a subsequent update, police confirmed that firefighters were at the scene actively working to extinguish a blaze that erupted at the residence.

Despite its intensity, the blast caused only minor injuries to some officers, with none being taken to the hospital, according to Ms. Savage.

The condition of the suspect, who was inside the residence when the explosion occurred, remains unknown.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

According to user Dolly Moore:

Ok, so here’s what I just caught I few minutes ago out my window. I saw a jet go by so fast and then explosion in the sky. Holy crap! Billings MT.

Ok, so here’s what I just caught I few minutes ago out my window. I saw a jet go by so fast and then explosion in the sky. Holy crap! Billings MT. pic.twitter.com/swr8ERC6pf

— Dolly Mills-Moore (@MMtTreasures) February 4, 2023

A Chinese spy balloon has been the main topic of discussion all day. It is believed the balloon is currently over Illinois or Missouri, but reports of at least one other balloon in Canada have come in over the last few hours. Whether any of this is related to the explosion in Montana is unclear, but something is happening.

Bozeman, Montana, a couple hours ago. Looks like the state's readiness protocols have been activated in the wake of the Chinese spy balloon. pic.twitter.com/nA3lAH2NTw

— Timothy Alberino (@TimothyAlberino) February 3, 2023

This is a breaking story and will be updated with more information.

A transformer caught fire at Nevada’s Hoover Dam on Tuesday and was quickly extinguished by the fire brigade without any injuries or interruption to the power grid, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said.

Video circulating on social media, apparently taken by a tourist, showed a small explosion and smoke and fire coming from the base of the dam, the largest in the United States and the source for a 2,080-megawatt hydroelectric plant, enough for about 1.3 million households.

Original Story:

An apparent explosion happened today at Hoover Dam today in Nevada. This is breaking news. We’ll update as soon as more is known.

NOW – Explosion at Hoover Dam in Nevada, USA.pic.twitter.com/ijdVtMNpND

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 19, 2022

According to Todd Starnes:

“Boulder City Fire Department is en route to an emergency call at Hoover Dam,” the City of Boulder said in a brief statement. “No further information is available at this time.”

“The Hoover Dam impounds Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. The dam’s generators provide power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It’s also a major tourist attraction,” BNO News reports.